Dear Reader Column 07-08-09

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Dear Reader,

The Popsicle box of 24 gives it top billing, first in the line up..."Orange, Cherry, Grape," but that's not the order at my house. Who eats orange Popsicles? I sure don't! I can't even persuade my grandson to eat the orange dregs piled up in my freezer. At the tender young age of 2 1/2, even he knows what tastes good, so why doesn't the Popsicle company? Buying the 24 economy size box may be the best bargain, (actually it's the only size the grocery stores around me sell) but it's a financial disaster, because 6 are cherry, 6 are grape and 12 are orange.

I got hooked on Popsicles during my six week recovery from a recent surgery; two Popsicles in the morning and two in the afternoon, a total of four every day--not one of them orange. That's forty-two days of eating Popsicles and since there were only 12 edible ones in a box; 6 cherry and 6 grape, there are now 168 orange Popsicles stacked up in my freezer. I considered "going green" and recycling, passing them on to an orange loving friend, but after a quick phone survey, not one of my friends like orange Popsicles either. (Well actually most of my friends hadn't eaten a Popsicle since they were ten--but everyone said "Yuck!" immediately when I mentioned orange.)

I'm usually the odd person out when it comes to being in the "popular consumer group." The nail polish I like gets canceled, the television shows I find entertaining get cut after the pilot, so until I checked on the Internet to see what other folks had to say about orange Popsicles, I figured I was odd girl out on my Popsicle tastes, too. But I'm not alone, "Just Say NO to orange Popsicles" seems to be the consensus.

"Satisfaction Guaranteed!" Is what the message on the Popsicle box says: "If you're not satisfied with the quality of this product or have any questions or comments...send the reason for your dissatisfaction along with the entire side panel of the box and a prompt adjustment of equal value will be made." So, I'm taking Popsicle at their word. I've packaged up the entire side panel from my box along with my "dissatisfaction"--168 orange Popsicles (in plastic zip bags).

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

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Comments

[Gramjak]

Oh Suzanne, I have chortled OUT LOUD!!! Orange is the worst.

Why couldn't they do LIME or RASPBERRY?

[Lois]

I LOVE orange, they're my favorite!
Lois

[Marlene Harkcom]

I detest orange. I only liked the orange once - when I was pregnant w/ my first child. Given a pregnant person's odd tastes, that should tell you alot there! I'd have to say though, I'd pick orange any day over *lime*...yucko...

[Jessica D'Alessandro]

Please don't tell Popsicle's that you hate the orange! They are my very favorite and I'm afraid they'll discontinue them. They are probably other people's favorites too since they make more of them than the other flavors in each package. I am usually odd man out and I'm afraid I will be again if they discontinue the orange. Maybe eating all those fresh Florida oranges picked right off the trees has prejudiced your taste buds! By the way, have you ever tried an orange creamsicle, made with vanilla ice cream and orange ice? The best, especially on a hot summer day.

[Jill]

Orange isn't so bad--it's better than lime. We have a box of multi-flavored popsicles in our freezer, and I fear the lime ones are just going to sit there until they're more freezer burn than actual popsicle.

I agree on the product discontinuation point too--doesn't it always seem like the brand/flavor you really like gets jettisoned whenever there's a cut in product lines?!

Thanks for a great read, Suzanne!

[Sue]

I would love to see the entire box of popsicles ORANGE!! I don't like the grape at all and can mostly tolerate the cherry. After my recent surgery I became addicted to orange popsicles.

[Carol Miller]

My son died of aids in Fla.
The last few days of his life
he exsisted on popsicles. He
didn't like the yellow and green
but orange, cherry and grape were
fine. So I went to the store to get apackage and put it in the
freezer for the next day. He died
at 10 o'clock that night. It was 18 yrs ago but I can't read a popsicle story without thinking of
about it. sincerely, Carol Miller

[Suzanne Beecher]

Carol,
I am so very sorry about your son. Memories are bittersweet and I imagine bring tears, even after 18 years. Thank you so much for sharing some of your life with me.--Suzanne Beecher

[Jackie]

Hi there, Suzanne, I think orange popsicles are great. But, they need to be made by Dreyer's. They also make a flavor I think is horrid, Coconut! It is really revolting. They taste like soap !

[Cindy Day]

I think whoever makes popsicles should have individual boxes of your favorite flavors. I like the red and grape.

[Jackie]

Hi Suzanne, I think the best popsicles are rootbeer. Blue raspberry are great too. I really don't think there is a bad flavor. The coconut ones mentioned bye another reader to sound horrible.